Nanchang, the capital city of Jiangxi Province, is a National Civilized City, a National Historical and Cultural City, a National Sanitary City, and a key central city in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. It administers three counties (Nanchang County, Jinxian County and Anyi County), six districts (Donghu District, Xihu District, Qingyunpu District, Qingshanhu District, Xinjian District, and Honggutan District), three state-level development zones (Nanchang National Economic and Technological Development Zone, Nanchang National High-tech Industrial Development Zone, and Nanchang Xiaolan Economic and Technological Development Zone) as well as Wanli Administration Bureau. It covers an area of 7,195 square kilometers, with a permanent population of 6.670,400, and hosts 55 higher education institutions, accommodating approximately 800,000 college students.
With a long history of over 2200 years, Nanchang is renowned for its more than 600 ancient cultural relics, including Pavilion of Prince Teng, Xishan Longevity Palace, and the Nanchang Relics Museum for Haihun Principality of Han Dynasty, etc. The City has been reputed as “a place with abundant nature’s treasures and outstanding people” since ancient times. The City is also the birth place of the People’s Army, with more than 30 revolutionary sites and red relics, such as Nanchang August 1st Memorial Hall, Nanchang New Fourth Army Headquarters Exhibition Center, etc.
Strategically positioned, Nanchang stands as the only provincial capital adjacent to three major economic powerhouses - the Yangtze River Delta, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and the Western Taiwan Strait Economic Zone. This prime location establishes it as a pivotal hub bridging eastern and western China, while seamlessly connecting northern and southern regions. Nanchang’s advanced transport network ensures efficient global access. In 2024, Changbei International Airport operates 129 flight routes connecting 80 destinations, with a 240-hour visa-free transit policy. The “5A-level” Nanchang International Land Port offers 24 China-Europe (Asia) freight train routes and international rail-sea intermodal services, linking 80+ countries and regions. Major railways like the Beijing-Kowloon and Zhejiang-Jiangxi lines intersect here, while highways such as the Shanghai-Kunming and Fuzhou-Yinchuan expressways ensure seamless access to China’s key economic zones.
Nanchang’s landscape, immortalized in the ancient verse: “the sunset glow flies with a lone wild duck, while the autumn river mirrors the vast sky”, reflects its modern ecological excellence. With Ganjiang River flowing through the city, it has an extensive water network of “one Ganjiang River and ten other rivers connecting to hundreds of lakes”, with water area accounting for over30%. The City has green spaces exceeding 43% and wetlands surpassing 20%, earning the title of “International Wetland City”. Additionally, the City has consistently ranked first in terms of air quality among Central China’s provincial capitals for years.
Nanchang has a comprehensive industrial system and is fully advancing the modernization of key manufacturing industry chains under the “8810” Action Plan, aiming to build high-quality service industry clusters. Emerging industries, including electronic information, aviation, automotive and equipment, and new energy, are rapidly forming integrated industrial chains. Characteristic industries like new materials, medicine and health, green food, and light industry and textiles are accelerating their transformation and upgrading. Producer services are increasingly extending toward specialization and the high-end of the value chain, while consumer services continue to upgrade toward higher quality and diversification. In 2024, the total revenue of the eight key industries reached RMB 826,.5 billion, and the added value of the service industry amounted to RMB 427.349 billion.
Nanchang thrives as a vibrant metropolis, hosting prestigious international events including the BWF World Junior Badminton Championships, National Youth Sunshine Sports Games.Aviation Expo, Hero Marathon, and cultural spectacles like flag-raising ceremonies at Bayi Square and fireworks displays, etc. In 2024 , the City attracted over 230 million tourists, solidifying its status as a Top 10 Must-Visit Tourist Destination in China, a Top 10 Convention and Exhibition City, and a trending “internet-famous” city.
In 2024, the City’s economy maintained overall stability and showed a continuous upward trend. The City’s gross regional product (GRP) reached RMB 780.037 billion (up 4.9% YoY). The economic structure was composed of 3.3% primary sector, 4l.9% secondary sector, and 54.8% tertiary sector, reflecting a continued optimization of the industrial framework. The added value of industries above designated size grew by 10.2% YoY, while fixed asset investment increased by 5.4%. The total retail sales of consumer goods amounted to RMB 332.281 billion (up 3.8% YoY). The local general public budget revenue reached RMB 52.613 billion (up 5.2% YoY). The total import-export value through customs reached RMB 109 billion, while the per capita disposable income stood at RMB 48.891.